The End Of Everything
by SFGrl
Summary: Monica's suspicions ruin her relationship with Chandler and her friends....


This one is loosely based on something that really happened to some friends of mine....though I am adding   
a little(okay, a LOT) drama to make it more interesting....otherwise the story would take up about a half a   
page, LOL.  
I own none of these characters, or their cool apartments...but one can dream.....  
  
  
  
The End of Everything  
  
  
Monica entered her apartment, exhausted from another grueling day at work. She threw her purse   
down on the counter and sighed heavily. As she scanned her apartment, a smile crept across her   
face. Chandler had just recently moved into her place, and that fact alone made her smile.   
She sometimes had to pinch herself, just to make sure she wasn't dreaming.  
She wasn't sure what had taken her so long to realize her feelings for Chandler, but she knew   
that she was happier now than she had ever been. She sighed again and thumbed through the mail.   
She spotted a bill addressed to Rachel, and decided to take it across the hall to her.  
  
"Hey Mon," Rachel said as she opened the door to the apartment she now shared with Joey.  
"Hey," Monica replied, as she walked into the apartment. "I have your mail."  
"Thanks. How was work?"  
"Eh."  
  
Just then, Chandler came out of the bathroom.  
  
"Hey Rach, I would label your toothbrush if I were you. Joey used to use mine to unclog the drain."  
"Ew!" Rachel squealed.  
"Hey beautiful," Chandler said, upon seeing Monica. He walked over and kissed her as Rachel   
rushed into the bathroom.  
"Hey. What are you doing here?" Monica asked.  
"Just hangin' out. Why?"  
"Oh, just wondering." Monica felt a sharp pang of jealousy, and then immediatly dismissed it.   
She had no reason to feel this way. Chandler hung out here all the time with Joey.   
Why should she feel differently if he is over here hanging out here with Rachel?  
"Mon?" Chandler was waving his hand in fromt of Monica's blank expression.  
"Huh? Oh, sorry sweetie. Long day."  
"Well, why don't you go take a bath, and I'll make something for dinner?" Chandler suggested.  
"Kay," Monica said and kissed Chandler. She really did have the best boyfriend ever.  
  
Two days later, Monica got off work early, and decided to surprise Chandler at work.   
She made him some macaroni and cheese, his favourite, and headed over to his office.   
She walked in to find him on the phone and at his computer. He looked up when  
she came in. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him smile at her. She loved his smile.  
She sat down on his sofa and began to unload her picnic basket as he wrapped up his phone call.  
"Hey sweetheart," Chandler said warmly.  
"Hi. Hungry?"  
"Yeah. Whaddya got?"  
Before Monica could answer, Chandler's secretary beeped in on the intercom.  
"What is it Helen?" Chandler said, shooting Monica an apologetic glance.  
"There is a Rachel Green on line one for you Mr. Bing."  
"Thanks Helen. Put her through." Chandler picked up the phone.  
Monica looked up suddenly. Why was Rachel calling Chandler at work?  
"Hey Rach, what's up? Nah, actually, this really hot woman just brought me some lunch, so   
I was about to throw her down on my sofa and kiss her passionatly...yeah, okay, I will see   
ya later. Okay. Bye. Rach says hi, Mon."  
"Okay."  
"You okay?"  
"Yeah, I just....I'm not feeling well. I think I am gonna go home."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah. I'll see you tonight."  
Monica rushed out of Chandler's office before he could object. She felt guilty for lying to him,  
but she couldn't understand why Rachel would be calling Chandler at work. She wanted to ask him,  
but didn't want to come off like a jealous girlfriend.  
Walking back to her apartment, she couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her face.  
  
Chandler came home several hours later, to find the apartment quiet and dark. He walked over to  
the bedroom, and smiled when he saw Monica asleep on the bed. She was fully clothed, shoes and   
all, so he decided to wake her and get her ready for bed.  
"Mon," Chandler shook his girlfriend lightly, "Monica?"  
"Mmmmm?"  
"Honey, wake up. Let's get ready for bed, okay?"  
"Ohh, not tonight Chandler, I don't want to...."  
"No, no sweetie, let's get ready to go to sleep."  
Monica nodded, and opened her eyes halfway.  
"What time is it?"  
"About 9:30. Are you feeling better?"  
"Huh?"  
"You said you weren't feeling well....are you okay?"  
"Oh, oh yeah, I'm fine. I guess I was just tired."  
Monica changed into Chandler's pyjamas, something she had gotten into the habit of lately.  
She thought they were much more confortable, even though they were way too big for her.  
Chandler thought it was adorable, and once joked that he should start wearing hers.  
  
After Monica layed back down, Chandler kissed her and headed back out to the living room.  
"Your not coming to bed?" Monica asked.  
"Nah, I'm not tired yet. I'm just gonna watch a little tv. I'll be in shortly."  
"Oh. Okay. Good night," Monica yawned.  
"Good night sweetheart." Chandler closed the bedroom door, and flipped on the tv.  
  
Monica woke up to find that she was still alone in bed. She looked at the clock-it read 10.30.  
She crawled out of bed to see if Chandler had fallen asleep in front of the tv.  
To her surprise, he wasn't there. The tv was off, and the bathroom was empty.   
"Chandler?" she called out. No answer.  
She opened the front door, and stepped into the hallway. She could hear the tv coming from  
Joey and Rachel's. She knocked lightly and opened the door. Rachel was sitting on a barstool,  
leaning over the counter. Chandler was in the kitchen, with his back to the door. He turned  
when the door opened.  
"Hey sweetie," Chandler said, "What are you doing up?"  
"I could ask you the same thing," Monica replied, trying hard to conceal her anger and frustration.  
"We're just hanging out. You okay?"  
Without a word, Monica closed the door and ran back into her bedroom, locking the door.  
She flopped onto her bed and cried herself to sleep again.  
  
*  
  
"What the hell was that about?" Rachel asked.  
"I think she's mad at me for not going to bed with her earlier," Chandler sighed.  
"Do you think she knows what we are up to?"  
"I certainly hope not," Chandler said.  
"Well," Rachel sighed, "You'd better go talk to your girlfriend. We are meeting tomorrow, right?"  
"Yeah, Chandler replied, "I'll just meet you there at 1:30."  
"Okay. Good night....and good luck," Rachel smiled slyly and headed for her room.  
"G'night," Chandler said on his way out of the apartment.  
Chandler walked into his and Monica's apartment and knocked softly on their bedroom door.  
"Monica? Are you okay?"  
No answer.  
"Mon?" He tried to open the door, "C'mon, sweetie, open the door. Mon?"  
Chandler sighed heavily and resigned to his place on the couch, where he eventually fell asleep.  
  
*  
  
For the next three days, Monica refused to talk to Chandler. He couldn't figure out what he'd done to her,  
so he had no idea how to make it better. Though he was upset that Monica was avoiding him, he had to admit   
that it made it much easier for him to meet up with Rachel.  
  
"How, exactly, are we going to get this thing into the apartment without Monica knowing?" Rachel asked,  
standing in the centre of the antique shop.  
"She's working late tonight," Chandler said flatly, "At least I think she is. Joey is checking it out for me."  
"Is he gonna help us move this thing?"  
"He'd better, 'cause I can't pick it up," Chandler said, looking up at the door, "Speak of the Devil-   
Hey, Joe."  
"Hey guys," Joey said, entering the shop, "You need help, right?"  
"Is Monica gone?"  
"Yep."  
"Let's go, then."  
  
*  
  
It took 2 and a half hours to negotiate Monica's birthday gift into Rachel's room. Joey left soon after,  
grumbling that he was going to be late for his date.  
"We should cover this up. Do you have a blanket?" Chandler asked, wiping sweat from his brow.  
"I think so," Rachel replied, and opened her closet door. She fumbled around for a few minutes, and then  
produced an old quilt.  
"Here ya go," she said. "I am gonna get us some water."  
"Kay," Chandler said, as he unfolded the blanket.  
"And do me-and the world a favour-and put your shirt back on!" Rachel laughed.  
Chandler picked up his stinky shirt and threw it at Rachel, who squealed and ran into the kitchen, and square  
into Ross' chest.  
"What are you doing?" Ross asked. He and Pheobe had come into the apartment minutes earlier.  
Before Rachel could answer, Chandler came out of Rachel's bedroom. Ross and Pheobe's jaws dropped.  
"Hey guys," Chandler said non-chalantly.  
Ross and Pheobe looked at Rachel, then Chandler, a look of disgust written on their faces. They both  
turned on their hills and left the apartment.  
Chandler looked at Rachel quizzically.  
"I told you to put that shirt back on...You scared 'em."  
"Whatever. I gotta go shower." With that, Chandler left, leaving Rachel to laugh at her own joke.  
  
*  
  
Monica came home at 8:30, to an empty apartment. She sighed and put down her bags. She walked over to   
Joey and Rachel's, half-expecting to find Rachel and Chandler there, hanging out. She looked around the  
empty apartment, and was about to leave, when something caught her eye. She walked over to the couch, and  
picked up the white t-shirt. She knew immediately that the shirt was Chandler's. She sat down, and tried  
to surpress her tears. She was tired of crying over him. He obviously didn't deserve it. She sighed and  
walked back over to her apartment. Ross and Pheobe walked in minutes later.  
"Monica, there you are!"  
"Hey guys," she tried to conceal her feelings, but she knew that her voice sounded shaky, and she also knew  
that if she had to say anything else, the lump in her throat would give way to the tears that were   
threatning to fall uncontrollably.  
"Mon, I think that you should know....we think there is something going on between Rachel and Chandler."  
Monica closed her eyes. It wasn't just her. Up to that point, she had found a small bit of comfort in the   
belief that it was all in her head. But now that Ross and Pheobe were suspecting the same, her illusions   
were shattered, and her suspicions were now cemented. The love of her life was cheating on her with her best  
friend. Monica broke down and let the flood gates open. She was shaking, crying and screaming all at once.  
It was at this moment that Chandler, Rachel and Joey came into the apartment.  
"What is going on?" Chandler said, rushing over to Monica.  
"Get away from me, you, you bastard!" Monica screamed, and shoved Chandler away.  
"Monica," Chandler pleaded, "What is going on?"  
"Stay away from her," Ross threatened, "Get AWAY from my sister!"  
"Will someone please tell us what's going on?" Rachel interjected.  
"Why don't you tell us," Pheobe hissed.  
Rachel looked at Pheobe, then at Chandler, who was now in tears.  
"What are you talking about?" Rachel said, looking again at Pheobe.  
Monica looked up at Rachel, and couldn't believe she had ever thought of her as a best friend.  
"You are just going to play innocent? You little slut! You couldn't get your own boyfriend?  
you had to take mine?"  
"What?" Rachel's heart stopped. She had never seen Monica so upset.  
"What are you saying, Monica?" Chandler croaked, his sadness and confusion slowly melting into anger.  
"I *know* about you two, okay? I have seen the signs for weeks. And today, I found this." Monica  
held up Chandler's t-shirt.  
Ross wanted to kill Chandler. He began to make his way over to him, but was stopped by Joey.  
"What are you doing?" Joey said.  
"I'm going to kill Chandler," Ross said flatly, his eyes never leaving Chandler's.  
"Why don't you make sure you know what you are talking about first." Joey was being unusually level-headed.  
"Okay, let's hear what they have to say. Every dying man should have a final statement. What were you   
doing in Rachel's bedroom?"  
Chandler tried to respond. But he was so upset, he couldn't make a sound. Rachel opened the apartment door.  
"Why don't we all go take a look at what we were doing in there." She said calmly, and led the group into her  
and Joey's apartment, and then into her bedroom. Chandler stayed in his apartment, rooted to the floor.  
He was so upset he couldn't think straight. He couldn't believe Monica didn't trust him.  
  
Rachel pulled her quilt off of an antique, Cherrywood hope chest. The wood was carved with an intricate  
design, and the latch was made from an elaboratly designed peice of silver. It was gorgeous, and it was  
exactly like the hope chest Monica was looking at several years ago, when she and Chandler had been out   
shopping for a birthday gift for Pheobe, long before they had started dating. Yet Chandler had remembered  
the chest, and found one that was almost identical. Monica felt her heart drop.  
"Happy birthday Monica," Rachel said bitterly. Without another word, she dropped the quilt and  
walked out of the room.  
Monica, Ross and Pheobe eventually made their way back to Chandler and Monica's apartment.  
Joey was sitting on the sofa, staring at blank tv. Rachel was looking out the window, and Chandler  
was standing in his same spot in the kitchen. He didn't move or respond when they walked in.  
The silence that filled the room was like a torture to each person in it. The tension hung like a   
thick fog over them, and Monica thought that if it went on much longer, the silence would kill all of them.  
Monica walked over to Chandler and lightly touched his arm. Her touch hurt him like fire from a candle, and  
he jumped back, as if she had truely burned him.  
"Chandler," Monica whispered.  
"I thought you loved me," Chandler interupted.  
"Chandler! I do! I do love you!"  
"You don't. If you loved me, you'd trust me. You don't love me. Not like I love you. Loved you."  
Loved? Monica began to panic. She was stuck, and had no idea what to do next.  
"Dude, we had no right to....we are so sorry!" Ross said quietly.  
Rachel walked up to Ross slowly, and slapped him hard across the face.  
"I really don't know what is going to happen here," Rachel said softly, "And I don't know how Chandler is  
feeling at the moment...but I will tell you this-*I* never, NEVER want to see any of you again. You, all  
of you," Rachel pointed at Ross, Pheobe and lastly, Monica, "have ruined these friendships. You have  
broken a sacred trust, one that can never be repaired."  
Rachel's words hit the group like a hammer. The one thing that holds all relationships together, is trust.  
The trust between friends and lovers had been broken, and so had their hearts. Rachel walked out of the   
room, and out of her friend's lives. Only when she was alone did she finally break down and cry.  
  
Chandler turned and looked at Monica, Ross and Pheobe. Tears filled his eyes. he knew that things would  
never be the same. He could not get the image of the three of them, and their wild accusations out of his  
head. He didn't know what was going to happen either. But he did know that Monica did not love him as  
completely and unconditionally as he had loved her. Their love had been tarnished, and his life had been   
turned into nothing. The lyrics to a song he had heard earlier played over and over in his head;   
"This is the end of everything, this is the end, that I know. This is the end of everything, take your   
love with you when you go..."  
Chandler walked over to Monica and took her face in his hands. He looked deep into her eyes, hoping to   
find a glimmer of the light and love he had always thought was there. He pulled her face close to his,  
and kissed her softly on the lips. He felt the wetness of her tears fall onto his fingers. He pulled  
away and looked into her eyes once more. Then, without a word, he walked out the door, and out of her life.  
  
  
To be continued.....depending on reviews.......;-) 


End file.
